It's All Coming Back to Me
by viper209n
Summary: Will this getaway ruin everything she's worked toward?
1. Chapter 1

It was a chilly day in Quebec on February 22, 2008. The snow was fresh. In fact, just as a car pulled up to an extravagant cabin, the snow had quit falling. The car parked in its spot that had not been used in quite some time and the driver's side door was opened. Looking around, a person could see nothing but trees and snow with the exclusion of a small clearing. It was secluded, desolate, which was the main reason that Kelly Rowan had purchased the large cabin.

The air was crisp and clean as Kelly took in her surroundings. It has been too long. Kelly thought to herself. She wasn't expecting her company for a few hours. She had scheduled in enough time so she could reacquaint herself with the place. Kelly looked back toward the clearing and smiled a wide smile. She began running down the decline toward the snow-covered area. As she ran, she noticed that the snow was incredibly soft. Doubtlessly, it was always like this but she actually had the time to take notice.

Suddenly, the momentum and the snow got the best of her and Kelly fell. She rolled the rest of the way down the hill, laughing the whole time. She landed on her back, facing the blue sky, still laughing out loud. She hadn't felt this carefree in a long time.

From her position lying on the ground, Kelly looked around at the wide space that the trees circled around. Realization dawned upon her.

"Woo!" The sound Kelly had emitted echoed through the clearing into the trees and surrounded her. She did it again and then once more before busting into giggles and closing her eyes again.

Peter was on the verge of yelling out from the balcony at Kelly as she tumbled down the hill. He jumped down the short distance to the ground and began after her. His worry dissipated quickly as he realized that she was simply laughing.

He just stared at her, fixated. He had never seen her like this, so free. It was an amazing sight. Her hair looked more golden than ever and her smile literally took Peter's breath away. It was the most genuine he had ever seen her. In addition to her joy, Peter also hadn't seen her in over a year. Suddenly, he realized just how much he had missed seeing her on a daily basis.

"Kelly." He said softly. He was smiling and it was evident in his voice.

Kelly's eyes popped open as she heard the sound of the voice she would know anywhere. There he was, standing beside her.

"Peter! You're early." She said as she moved to get up and look presentable. That task proved difficult considering she had sunk quite a bit into the snow and her leather jacket added to the immobility.

"No! Don't get up." Peter insisted as his hands searched the pockets of his jacket.

"Why?" Kelly asked, skeptically.

"Because." Somehow, that was enough of an answer for her. Of course, it is. Kelly told herself. You'd trust him with your life.

Peter grinned triumphantly as he pulled a digital camera from his pocket.

"Peter..." Kelly protested as soon as she saw what he was up to.

"Please." With that, Kelly relented. She silently berated herself. She had been doing so well. Was this trip going to wipe out all the progress she had made?

Peter snapped the shot of Kelly and although she looked gorgeous no doubt, her smile wasn't the genuine smile she had been donning only a few moments earlier. Slightly angry with himself for putting a stop to Kelly's good time, Peter sat down beside her.

"You have an amazing place here, Kelly. Well, from the outside, at least."

"Thank you."

Peter continued to glance around him at the trees and back toward the cabin. A few minutes of silence passed.

"That one looks like a heart." Kelly said, pointing to the sky. Peter looked up. Huge, puffy white clouds were spaced out just enough that a person could create shapes with them.

"Which one?"

"The one to the left a little. It's kind of under that lumpy one." Kelly attempted to explain but gave up quickly. "Just lie down. You'll be able to see better." She instructed as she pulled at his arm. Peter did as he was told and Kelly was right.

"Oh, I see it now."

"Told ya."

A few more minutes passed before Peter spotted another. "Ooh. That one looks like the Cheshire cat." Kelly couldn't help but grin. They sounded so young. But Peter was right, that cloud did look like the cat.

"Oh my gosh!" Kelly gasped.

"What?"

"The one to the right looks like the bunny. You know, 'I'm late. For a very important date.' Look! There's even a little pocket watch. Well, you have to kind of squint."

Peter chuckled at her explanation and her erratic hand movements as she tried to get him to see. He grabbed her arm as he continued to chuckle. "Yeah. I see it."

"What if the whole cast of 'Alice in Wonderland' is up there? I'll look for the Mad Hatter and you look for Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee."

"Kelly, I think that would be more effort than is required of cloud-shaping."

"I suppose you're right. I just haven't done this in forever."

"Me neither." Peter paused for a few more moments before thinking of something else. "You know what else I haven't done in forever?"

"No, what?" Kelly asked excitedly.

"This." Peter answered as he began to make a snow angel. Kelly smiled widely and proceeded to move her arms and legs to create one of her own.

"I used to love making these!" She exclaimed. "I was never good at getting out of the imprint and not messing it up though."

Peter chuckled. "I had a bit of a knack for it. I used to get out of mine and then help all of my friends out of theirs." He continued to chuckle as he reminisced. "Hopefully, I still have that skill and then I can help you."

"It would be greatly appreciated." Kelly responded.

Peter stopped moving his arms and legs and expertly extracted himself from the imprint left in the snow.

"I still got it!" He exclaimed, smiling down at his handy work before moving over to Kelly. "Give me your hands, KR." He stood over her and grasped her hands as she held them up to him. Very carefully, Peter pulled Kelly from her own snow angel. Suddenly, he picked her up and placed her on the ground beside him.

"There." He announced as they looked at their snow angels. "Those look great. We are awesome." Peter proclaimed as he put an arm around Kelly.

"Mine's not too bad, huh?"

"Are you kidding? It's phenomenal! Best snow angel I've ever seen."

"Yeah." Kelly said, skeptically. Peter reached back into his pocket and retrieved the camera again. He pointed the lens at the angels and snapped a picture.

"Still into pictures, I see."

"Yup. What? I like memories. Excuse me." Kelly giggled at Peter's girlish tendency. It was something that he had done as long as they had known each other and even before that. Peter enjoyed taking pictures so he could document parts of his life.

Kelly felt that it came from his mother's disease. Kelly's theory was that Peter wanted to take measures to not be able to forget the things that he had accomplished and the memories that he had throughout his life. Peter had never come anywhere close to confirming Kelly's theory but she felt that it was the root behind his picture taking.

"Want to see the inside of the house?" Kelly offered suddenly.

"Of course. Lead the way."

Kelly started up the incline. Rolling down the hill must have affected her equilibrium because she felt a tad bit dizzy. She felt herself leaning to the left so she readjusted by moving toward the right. However, she overcompensated and began falling backwards. Luckily, Peter was behind her. He caught her before she could do anymore damage.

Naturally, his hands slipped around her waist to support her. Her whole body was leaning against him, her back to his chest. Her hands sought out his and they gently covered Peter's.

"You okay?" He whispered with a tiny chuckle. Having Kelly this close was taking his breath away. His nose was so close to her hair that the scent of her shampoo mixed with the perfume from her neck quickly surrounded him.

On the other side of this exchange, Kelly's breathing was subtly picking up speed. She could feel his warm breath on her neck. As he whispered, shivers were sent up and down her spine. She could have cried. Instead, she closed her eyes and lifted her head toward the sky. She took in a deep breath of the crisp air. I'm supposed to be over him. She thought to herself.

"I'm fine." She said softly, trying her hardest to keep her voice steady. She gently tugged his hands away from her waist. She attempted to break all the physical contact between them but Peter wouldn't allow it. He held onto her left hand tightly until they had safely arrived at the top of the hill.

Peter followed Kelly to her car where he picked up her bags and toted them into the foyer of the cabin. Peter set the bags down and looked around.

"Wow." He spoke breathlessly. "Kelly, this place is… wow." The interior was genuine cabin. It was so aesthetically perfect that Peter had to remind himself that he was in an actual place and not a theatrical set. The furnishings all met the mountain cabin standards. There was even a moose head above the fireplace.

Kelly blushed at the compliment. That was usually what people said when they saw her cabin. Peter turned around to bring his own bags, which had been waiting by the front door, inside. The couple walked into the den and Peter chuckled at the prominent moose that was staring at him. Kelly went toward the thermostat and adjusted it while Peter looked around. He noticed a picture on a table by the sofa. It was of a little boy of about six.

"Who's this?" Peter asked, picking up the photo. Kelly turned and walked over to where he stood. She took the photo from his hands and looked it over. Peter noticed how her eyes had changed. The flecks of blue lit up slightly.

"This…" She started slowly. "Is my son." She made eye contact with Peter briefly before looking back down at the picture. "His name is Joshua and he is seven-and-a-half. Don't forget about that half part." Kelly warned with a small chuckle. "Before you ask, I don't tell people about him because he deserves a normal childhood. One without interviews and a million pictures taken of him."

Finally, Kelly looked back up at Peter. He was staring at her, transfixed with shock. This was such a big secret. Suddenly, Kelly began laughing. Peter rolled his eyes at her, realizing that she had been lying.

"Peter! Do you really think that I could…? Did you really believe me?" She was cackling by this point.

Peter was shaking his head. "You are horrible."

Kelly just continued to laugh. "He's my cousin's son. They vacation here a lot. In fact, he is the one who persuaded me to buy the moose." Kelly motioned toward the animal before putting the picture back on the table.

"So does he have a name?"

"It's Joshua. I didn't make that part up."

"No. The moose. Does the moose have a name?" Peter corrected her, looking back up at the creature.

"Oh. Well, Josh renames him every time they visit so I suppose the correct answer would be no. Feel free to give him a stable name. I'm sure he would appreciate it."

"What do you call him?" Peter asked looking to Kelly.

"He's a dead moose, Peter. I don't call him anything."

"Well, that seems a little rude." Peter mentioned as he looked back up at the moose. Kelly shrugged and rolled her eyes a bit. "I think… Oscar."

"Oscar?" She repeated.

"Oscar."

"Oscar." Kelly pondered for a moment. Simultaneously, Kelly and Peter cocked their head to contemplate the mammal in addition to the name. "It suits him." She declared.

Suddenly, chimes echoed through the home. Kelly jogged to answer it as Peter followed behind. Melinda and Benjamin waited patiently on the other side of the door. It quickly swung open and the two were welcomed into the warmth of the cabin.

"Kelly! Peter!" Melinda shouted as she threw her arms around Kelly.

"Hey! Hey, Ben!" Kelly said excitedly from the embrace she was sharing with Melinda. Peter and Ben engaged in a manly handshake followed by a hug. Ben delivered the news that Mischa was not going to be able to attend on account of working on a new project. The group of friends chatted among themselves as others arrived and joined in on the conversation.

Within the hour, everyone had arrived. Adam and Rachel had arrived together but maintained that they were still separate. Autumn was only a few minutes behind them. Soon, drinks had been poured and the den was alive with several different conversations. Kelly sat quietly on the couch, sipping her drink and thinking to herself.

She could not help but wonder if this getaway was a mistake. She felt like a failure. She was supposed to be over him. He was only her friend. He could only be her friend.

Kelly looked up at Peter and as if he could feel her eyes on him, he looked up into her baby blues. He smiled that smile and Kelly smiled back despite the fact that she could no longer breathe. A million butterflies had taken flight in her belly and Kelly was just thankful that she was sitting because if she hadn't been, her knees would have given way.

_  
Oh, yeah. This trip is going to be interesting. _


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: **This chapter is dedicated to SandyKirsten. Sorry to keep you waiting...

Meanwhile, my entire life's work is dedicated to Patty and my butter bean, Olivia. Without you two, where would I be?

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing. This work is purely fictional and in no way should anyone believe that these events actually took place.

_One of these days  
You'll miss your train, and come stay with me  
It's always say goodnight and go  
We'll have drinks and talk about things  
And any excuse to stay awake with you  
You'd sleep here, I'd sleep there  
But then the heating may be down again  
At my convenience  
We'd be good, we'd be great together_

-- "Goodnight and Go" by Imogen Heap

The residents of the cabin had retired to bed rather early, all very tired from their travels. Kelly awoke and immediately made her way to the kitchen. Kirsten Cohen might not be a good cook but Kelly Rowan was not too shabby in the kitchen. She expected to be alone but when she stepped into the kitchen, she was met by a dark-haired figure. Her heart jumped and she hated herself for it.

"Hey." Kelly spoke softly, not wanting to startle Peter.

"Good morning. Hope you don't mind. I started some coffee."

"Please. I don't mind. Did you sleep well?"

"Very well. How about you?" He asked as he poured a cup of coffee.

"Peacefully," she lied. Her thoughts before sleep were of him, just like they were for practically the four years of filming 'The O.C.' She could not help it. He was in her head.

"Sugar and cream?"

"Please."

Peter opened the sugar jar and was not met with a white powder as one would expect. Instead, there were large brown granules in the jar.

"Kelly, did you forget to buy new sugar?"

Kelly had to giggle at him. "It's raw sugar, Peter."

Peter chuckled with her as he looked up. "Of course it is, Miss Heathnut. If anyone would have raw sugar, it would be you, Kelly." He finished fixing her coffee and walked it over to her. "Startled me though. Seeing brown rather than white."

Kelly accepted the cup of coffee from Peter with a smile. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Peter said softly as he leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. He pulled back from her and she knew he had to be able to hear her heart racing. "Thank you for orchestrating this whole thing."

Kelly sipped her coffee before responding. "My pleasure. I really think we all could use a getaway."

"How is it?" Peter asked, his attention fully on Kelly as she tasted her coffee.

"Perfect." He smiled at her and turned to get his own cup. Kelly crumbled a bit in her seat. God, why did he know how to make her coffee exactly the way she liked it?

"You have an excellent view here, Kelly," Peter stated as he turned around and gazed out of the large window at beautiful, snow-covered mountains.

"The view is better from the deck." Kelly mentioned. "You can't see it from here because of the angle but there is a porch swing out there."

"Sit with me?"

"It's cold," Kelly pointed out. Peter looked at her, a little insulted that she was immediately saying no. "I'm just saying."

"You have a blanket around this place, right?" Peter asked and the look in his eye made her speechless.

"Yeah." She replied, breathlessly.

"Great!" His enthusiasm made her smile. "I'll whip us up some breakfast really quick if you can get the blanket."

"Sounds good." She said faintly while quickly walking out of the kitchen. She did not understand why he was causing her to react like this. He had barely done anything and she was tripping over herself like an idiot. Thankfully, if Peter was noticing, he was nice enough to ignore it.

"Need any help?" He asked softly as to not wake their friends. Kelly realized that she had been standing in front of the open closet, looking at the blankets, for some time.

"No. Just making sure I choose the warmest one." She lied. She grabbed a blanket and joined him on the swing . She sat a nice, safe distance from him and began to eat her breakfast. Peter stared at her until she noticed his eyes on her.

"What?" She asked incredulously, wondering if she had spilled food on herself.

"I don't bite!" He said. She chuckled at him. "Come on." He gestured to the spot beside him. Kelly sat back down next to him, still keeping some of her distance.

However, by the time they were done with breakfast, Peter had stretched his legs out and now his and Kelly's legs were ever so slightly intertwined. Kelly had relaxed as they simply enjoyed the view together. Peter put his arm over the back of the swing, letting his hand rest near Kelly's shoulder.

"I like the cold." Kelly stated softly. "I've always liked the cold."

"It is that Canadian coming out of you." Peter, along with the rest of the cast, loved to joke about Kelly's nationality. She did not mind all that much and always took it in stride.

"Look who's talking. Mr. New York."

Peter chuckled at her. "I like the cold, too. Probably because it's easier to put clothes on than to take clothes off."

"Sometimes." Kelly chuckled to herself.

"Ooh. Kelly Rowan with the zing, ladies and gentlemen." Peter pulled her closer with the arm that was draped around her. She smiled up at him and suddenly it felt as if time stopped as both sets of blue eyes were glued to each other. The moment they had just shared was so reminiscent of the past. The joking and the maybe-almost-innuendo. They stared into each other's eyes, reading each other's thoughts.

"I've missed you." Peter whispered, barely breathing, not willing to break the trance her eyes put him in. Those blue orbs had always held a certain power over him. They could stop him in his tracks.

Kelly did not have a chance to respond. Adam suddenly opened the door from the kitchen to the porch.

"Mom. Dad. Hands on top of the blankets, please," He chuckled. Ben quickly poked his head out of the door and joined Adam on the porch.

"We were all thinking of going out and enjoying this beautiful day in the great outdoors," Ben stated, clearly inviting Kelly and Peter to join.

"Sounds great!" Kelly said as she quickly stood up. "We should all get ready!" She put an extremely convincing smile on her face as she walked inside to follow her own instructions. She needed to be less weak. She was Kelly Rowan, Miss Independent, and she did not need Peter Gallagher making her feel any thing less than herself.

Oddly enough, Melinda and Kelly were the first ones to finish dressing for the 'great outdoors' as Ben had phrased it. They were sitting on bar stools at the kitchen island, sipping the last of the coffee and waiting for the others.

"How are Ernie and Kathryn?"

"Good. Kathryn asks about you every now and again. She cried when she found out that I was coming up here with you but without her."

"Aw. If you call her later, let me talk to her, won't you?" Kelly asked. "I miss your little munchkin." She did not want Melinda's daughter thinking that she did not care about her.

Melinda giggled at Kelly's reaction. "She will love that. She misses her K-E-L-L-Y." Kelly laughed at the nickname she had been given by the six-year-old. No one was really sure why Kathryn called Kelly that but no one really asked.

Peter walked into the kitchen followed by Adam and Ben. Melinda was closest to them and was able to see them first. She snorted in laughter. All three men were wearing blue flannel shirts and fur pants. On their heads were red flannel hats with ear flaps. On their feet were snow shoes that resembled tennis rackets. The fur gloves on their hands matched their pants.

Kelly looked over to find out what Melinda was laughing at. Her eyes landed on the men and their outfits. She glared at them, her lips twitching as she fought a smile.

"I think we are officially ready for the _Canadian_ wilderness," Peter announced, pointing to his clothes.

Kelly got out of her seat and went to 'inspect' the boys clothing. "Looks pretty good." She said as she looked them up and down. "Except..." She walked over to Peter and took his hat by the ear flaps. "The hat is supposed to really be on your head." She said as she pulled it down, forcing it past his eyes. He chuckled at her actions.

Kelly moved over to Ben. "Plus, it really should be securely fastened." She quickly tied the strings of the hat so a bow was under Benjamin's chin causing him to choke over-dramatically.

Kelly then walked over to Adam and eyed him suspiciously. Suddenly, her fists pounded on his chest down to his stomach and over to his sides and ribs.

"Got to make sure you are wearing enough padding." She ceased hitting Adam and looked from him to Ben to Peter. "I guess you guys are ready for this trek out into _Canada_! Except..." She walked to the refrigerator and motioned for them to join her. "You will need..." After a pause, she opened the fridge and exposed the drinks she had planted. The boys laughed.

Ben spoke up. "Canadian beer." He breathed as if in awe.

"Is it true what they say, that it is better than regular beer?" Adam played along. "And attracts bears?" He added with a chuckle.

"Well, of course." Peter spoke up. "But don't worry about the bears. Kelly speaks bear. In Canada, they teach kids how to speak bear in like first grade, right?" Kelly squinted at Peter angrily.

"We are just kidding."

"Yeah."

Suddenly, Kelly felt Ben's muscular arms wrap around her from behind and hoisted her into a giant hug, slightly knocking the wind out of her. Adam and Peter were on either side of her and simultaneously planted kisses on her cheeks. Kelly squirmed in Ben's arms although she had the largest smile on her face. She had missed her boys. Melinda grabbed Peter's camera he had handed her earlier. She pointed and snapped the picture. Rachel and Autumn had made their way into the kitchen as this was taking place and were now laughing at the scene.

Soon, the gang set out on a hike. To begin with, they all walked in a huge group. But eventually, Kelly, Peter, and Melinda fell behind the others.

"So, Kelly, what have you been up to?" Peter asked, casually.

"Staying busy. Producing, mostly. Writing a little."

"I read something about you in the paper. Dating a Canadian billionarre?" He pressed.

"Yeah... For about three weeks..."

"What happened?" Melinda wondered.

"Did he hurt you?" Peter asked, suddenly turning toward Kelly.

"No, nothing like that." Kelly answered, slightly flattered by his strong reaction. "I just realized that he's not what I want."'

"What do you want?" Melinda quiried.

"You know, not too tall. Dark-haired. A little pale. Nice smile. From the North, preferrably New York." Kelly listed with a smirk.

"So... you want Peter?" Melinda played along.

"Oh, no. I don't want anyone like Peter." Kelly's eyes darted over to Peter.

"Sure. Just act like you don't like me at all. I can take it." Peter smiled, head straight forward.

"Well, of course she likes you. A little at least. I mean, she has kissed you. Heavily. On a frequent basis."

"Yeah, but I was paid very good money to do that."

"Oh! Don't act like it was terrible. It could have been much worse, Kelly. How often did I have the chance to be like any other actor and just shove my tongue down your throat? And how many times did I take that chance? Never. Thank you."

"Well, there was that one time." Kelly smirked as she thought back to the filming of the season one finale.

"Pfft. Act like you didn't enjoy it." Peter gloated. "The fans loved it."

"What are the two of you talking about?" Melinda asked, thoroughly confused. She obviously had not been on set that day.

"Nothing." They answered simultaneously. Before Melinda could press for more information, four snowballs came hurdling at them. Two of them hit Kelly while Peter and Melinda received one each.

"You know, you people are very mean to the person who owns the cabin that you're staying at. One would think you'd be a little more appreciative really." She muttered loudly.

"Oh, c'mon. We weren't all aiming at ya." Adam defended from behind a tree.

Peter, Kelly, and Melinda hid behind a large wall of snow that had piled up as it fell off the trees and quickly began to stockpile ammunition. Peter and Kelly had both grown up in cold snowy places and were experienced snow ball makers able to make three large snowballs in the time it took Melinda to make a single, small one. Occasionally, the three of them would pop up and throw snow at one of the younger four, who immediately returned fire. Suddenly, Melinda popped up to throw another snowball, but, an opposing snowball popped her in the face the moment she left the safety of the fortress.

"Ooh," The other six exclaimed loudly.

"Oh, boy. You're in trouble," Ben chuckled at Adam.

"What?! You threw it!"

"Ben!" the name left Melinda's mouth and echoed through the trees. Melinda got up and began running toward Ben, picking up a weapon or two along the way.

Peter and Kelly laughed quietly at her. The two of them soon suppressed their giggles and peeked cautiously over the snow wall. The girls and Adam very occupied with watching Melinda pummel Ben.

"Now's our chance," Peter whispered to Kelly. They began to frantically gather more snow and transform them into snowballs. Peter's eyes darted around, searching for the best snow. "Oo. Over there," he pointed across Kelly and began to scoot over to grab the white material. But the ground was slick and Peter fell into Kelly, knocking her over.

Then, Kelly was on her back, her legs sprawled on the ground with Peter between them, hovering above her. This awkward moment between them lingered as their noses grazed and their eyes locked, blue on blue. Suddenly, Kelly felt the icy coldness of the snow on her back, melting through her shirt. Reflexively attempting to escape the cold, her hips thrust forward, right into Peter's. She gasped immediately at what she had just done. Their eyes still locked. Kelly saw an emotion she had never been able to read. For a moment, she was afraid it was anger.

"I'm sorry. It's just it's cold and when we fell, my shirt came up a bit and my skin touched the snow and it's cold," she rambled as Peter's warm hand slipped under her between her skin and the snow. Her breath caught in her throat. Peter chuckled and Kelly's open mouth welcomed his warm breath, making her eyes flutter. Their noses rubbed together as he ducked his head. His lips lightly brushed hers, so lightly that Kelly was sure only she felt them.

"Peter, Kelly! Get out here. You're missing a hell of a fight!" Autumn yelled from the hill.

They barely heard her. "You're adorable when you ramble, you know that?" Peter whispered, eyes looking down at her. He gently pulled her up from the ground and dusted the snow off of her. "Sorry for knocking you over," he apologized softly.

"It's okay. It's slick."

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" Peter questioned, his eyes searching for a sign of something amiss.

"No. No, of course not," she stood and offered Peter her hand. He grabbed it firmly and stood up himself. They made their way up the hill to see what Ben and Melinda were getting themselves into. They were now the only two throwing snowballs.

"Guys, there's plenty of pre-made snowballs down behind the wall of snow," Peter offered. "We made them before we realized no one else was playing any more. Well, except for the two of you," he said, pointing to Melinda and Ben.

"We were wondering why you guys were missing the show." Rachel said.

"That's what we were doing." Peter confirmed before looking to Kelly briefly. Their eye contact was brief and very subtle, no one noticed anything.

Once the group had been able to create a peace treaty between Melinda and Ben, they made their way back to the cabin. On this journey, Melinda joined the group ahead of Peter and Kelly so she and Ben could still occasionally attack one another.

Peter and Kelly did not speak of the previous incident. They did not speak at all. It was simply silence. Oddly enough, the silence was not awkward. Instead, it was very comfortable. As if nothing had happened.

Suddenly, Peter noticed Kelly shivering, despite her best attempts to hide it. "You're freezing."

"I'm okay."

"Kelly... You're shivering like crazy. Borrow one of my jackets."

"My shirt got a little snow in it when we fell and now it's melted so my shirt's wet. It's no big deal." She muttered with her head down, walking faster.

"Well, here take one of my jackets." Peter insisted, stepping in front of her and forcing her to stop.

"No, Peter, you need those."

"Not as much as you do."

"Peter. It wouldn't do any good anyway. My jacket's fine. It's my shirt that's wet."

"Well, take it off."

"What?"

"Just take it off quickly and then put on this jacket." When she still hesitated, he became more stern. "Kelly, I'll be damned if you get pnemonia."

"Peter, we are not even that far from the cabin."

"Hey. Five meters could be the difference between not having pneumonia and dying from it."

"Fine. If it'll get you to shut up."

"It will." Kelly turned around and unzipped her shirt, quickly peeling it off of her body. As soon as she had it in one hand, Peter wrapped his jacket around her shoulders and Kelly's arms found the sleeves. Her hands sought out the zipper and struggled with it.

"Perfect," she sarcastically commented.

"What?"

"The zipper doesn't work."

"It worked fine earlier."

"Well, it isn't working fine now."

"Let me do it." Peter said frustrated.

"Peter... I didn't wear an undershirt or anything."

"Anything?"

"Well..."

"Well...?"

"I'm wearing a bra..."

"Well, you're decent."

"Peter, who considers that decent?"

"Well, you're not naked."

"What an excellent point!"

"It's nothing I haven't seen before."

Kelly cocked her head to look at him like he was deranged. "Yes, it is."

"I meant boobs in general. I've seen boobs before."

"Well, you haven't seen mine before and I believe that is the real point."

"Yes, yes. Now they're going to freeze off if you don't just let me zip up the stupid jacket."

"Fine," Kelly relented, crossing her arms across her chest so nothing could be seen. Peter walked around to face her. His hands grabbed at the zipper and began attempting to work it correctly. He looked up at Kelly.

"Move your arms." He noticed the look she was giving him. "It's not going to zip unless you unfold your arms."

"How convenient," she continued to eye him suspiciously.

"See for yourself!" Peter exclaimed as his hands motioned toward the material. "The zipper won't work with the sides of the jacket so far apart."

Kelly sighed. "Fine." Her arms dropped and the chill of the wind quickly caused her porcelain skin to turn a faint shade of pink. Peter tugged at the zip and it finally budged. He zipped the jacket up, his fingertips lightly grazing her stomach, dipping into her bellybutton. He pulled it up to her chest where it came to rest. There were a few moments of silence before Kelly broke it.

"Can we go home now?"

"Are you warmer?"

Kelly paused before answering. "Yes..."

"Then yes. Let's go home." Kelly turned and they continued on their way toward the house.

The seven friends finally made their way to the cabin where the girls prepared coffee and hot cocoa, while the boys started a fire in the beautiful, stone fireplace. After everyone changed into warm clothes, they all sat together in the living room. As the sun set, the fire became their only source of light. They laughed about the past and told stories about what they had been doing since 'The O.C.' had wrapped.

Around eleven, the conversation was calming down and a comfortable silence filled the room, the only sound being the crackle of the fire. Peter felt a slight pressure on his left shoulder. He looked and saw Kelly's head resting against him. He smiled adoringly at her as she gazed into the fire. Eventually, he felt one of her hands on his arm while the other rested on his knee. His hand naturally covered the one that was grasping his arm. Gently, he stroked the back of her fingers with his thumb, giving her the comfort she clearly desired even in her sleep.

Suddenly, a subtle little snore was emitted into Peter's ear. He snickered and tried to keep from laughing. He thought back to the filming of 'The O.C.' The creator, Josh, had a habit of listening in on conversations and later putting tidbits into the script. Once the cast had congregated at a house and watched a movie together. Very early into the movie, Kelly was already asleep and soon she began to snore. The next day, they had all teased her. Josh overheard and before they knew what had happened, Kelly's character, Kirsten Cohen, was known for her snoring and ability to fall asleep at the beginning of any movie. Kelly had been slightly outraged but soon, she learned to laugh about it.

Peter could feel the five sets of eyes on him and Kelly as her quiet snore filled the silent room. Everyone chuckled under their breath at Kelly's habit. Her tired disposition caused them to check their watches and decide that it was time for bed. Quietly, they emptied their mugs and made their way to their rooms. Ben put out the fire and as he began to leave the room, he turned to Peter and motioned to Kelly.

"Nah. I've got her." Peter reassured him. Ben nodded his head and turned on the hallway light to aid them.

Peter carefully released himself from Kelly's half-embrace, stood up, and gathered her into his arms.

"Peter," she whispered, her grip on his neck tightening. His arms around her held pulled her further into him as he felt, more than heard, her whisper.

"We're just going to bed." The way he phrased it caused Kelly's heart to jump, although she berated herself for it.

"I fell asleep." It was a statement, not a question.

"Yeah. You did," he chuckled down at her. "You were snoring, too."

"I was comfortable," she defended.

"Well, you can still be comfortable in bed," he said as he struggled to open the heavy door. He was finally successful. The door shut itself due to its size.

"Mm," Kelly mumbled as Peter laid her down on her bed before he joined her. Kelly looked at him, confused.

"You said you were comfortable..." Kelly smiled at him before resting her head on his shoulder. Peter tugged a blanket over their legs before settling. The two of them began to talk. Things were just so comfortable between them. They both felt safe enough around each other to be themselves. This time the topic of conversation was Peter.

"So, what have you been up to lately, Mr. Gallagher?" Kelly questioned as she loosely held onto his arm with her hands.

"Just a few projects. Not too much."

"I heard you were doing some Broadway." Her voice was laced with pride.

"Yeah," he answered, reading into her tone of voice and blushing. His fingers began to pick at the blanket and he refused eye contact. He usually had no problem receiving a compliment. But it was a different story when it came to receiving one from Kelly Rowan. A lot of things that usually characterized him were a different story around Kelly Rowan.

"Peter, that's great!" Her eyes were beaming.

"I guess." His hands were still fumbling with the strings and a light pink remained in his cheeks. His eyes focused on anything but her.

"You guess? You're not being as arrogant as you usually are."

"I am not arrogant!" he exclaimed quietly.

"I know. I just like teasing you."

Peter finally raised his eyes up from the blanket and resumed their eye contact. Kelly smiled up at him, lost in his eyes. She loves his eyes. Their deep pools of ocean blue had become her favorite color. More often than not, Kelly would purchase jewelry that she happened to come across if it matched his eyes. She would then stash it away, she dared not wear it for the fear that people would discover why she had chosen it.

Peter's eyes were glued to Kelly's own. The sky blues with flecks of pure light in them that allowed him to read her soul or at least make him feel like he could. He fell into a trance and, once again, could not look away.

Neither party could. Their drooping lids, conveying their tiredness, did not register in their minds. In some corner of their minds they knew they needed to look away and break the spell. However, neither had the ability or desire to do so.

It had only been a minute, at most, since the last word had been spoken and they had locked eyes. To Kelly and Peter, it had felt like an eternity.

Peter awoke a few hours later with his nose buried in blonde hair. He noticed the clock and tensed upon realizing what time it was. Then, he noticed the position he was in. Kelly's body was held tight to his own by his right arm wrapped around her waist. That hand securely held her perfectly defined back. His other hand comfortably rested on Kelly's cheek, his thumb outlining her jaw.

Peter was the most comfortable he had been in a while and if he could have, he would have stayed like this forever. However, he would never dream of making Kelly feel uncomfortable. So Peter planned to slip away from her silently and allow her to continue her slumber. Unfortunately, as soon as Peter put any distance between them, Kelly shifted and awoke, looking up at him and grazing his nose with hers. Peter gazed down at Kelly as she realized what was going on.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I didn't mean to fall asleep."

"It's okay," she said, so softly that she barely heard herself. Peter leaned forward, still cupping her face in his hand, and kissed her forehead.

"Good night, Kelly," he murmured against her skin.

"Good night, Peter." He quietly left the room, shutting the door behind him. As he exited, Peter came face to face with Adam, who cocked an eyebrow at his television father.

"I fell asleep," Peter explained quietly. Adam eyed him for a while before speaking.

"I believe you."

"Adam..." A whining came from a few doors down. "What's taking so long?" Peter immediately recognized it as Rachel's voice. Now it was his turn to cock both of his impressive eyebrows at Adam, who was grinning sheepishly.

"I, uh, I fell sleep..." Adam explained, unconvincingly.

Peter took a moment, his mouth ajar, grinning at Adam. "I believe you." The words were just as convincing as the explanation Adam had given. Adam nodded at Peter, an unspoken agreement that they would not speak of what just happened, and walked toward the open door.

"Coming..." he called to the brunette. As the door shut, Peter walked past, shaking his head.

Meanwhile, Kelly had decided to jump in the shower before putting on her pajamas. She stood under the hot water, letting it beat down on her, hoping the water would take away the feeling of Peter's arms around her. Kelly put her face into the spray of water, trying to rid it of the tingling feeling of Peter's lips against her forehead. Nothing seemed to work the way she wanted it to. She groaned and sank to the bottom of the shower, allowing the drops of water to fall against her back. She wanted to cry but could not let herself. She so clearly was not over this, over him.

As she slipped into her pajamas and slid into her bed (turning away from where she had been with Peter), she knew that tonight had to be her last night in this cabin for this getaway.

As much as it killed her to admit it, she wasn't strong enough to do this. Not yet anyway.

She was giving up. Throwing in the towel.

She was leaving.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note**: It was mentioned to me that this chapter seems too fast. That is probably true but this is as far as I saw this fic going. This is the final chapter. I hope that the ride has been as fun for you as it was for me. Keep your eye out for the fanmix that will be linked on my profile. Hopefully, it can be up within the next few days.

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing. This work is purely fictional and in no way should anyone believe that these events actually took place.

_I was crying over you  
I am smiling, I think of you  
Where your gardens have no walls  
Breathe in the air if you care, you compare, don't say farewell._

-- "Dice" by Finley Quaye

From their activities the previous day, everyone was pretty tired and slept through breakfast. They woke around eleven and began to plan lunch. As her house-guests woke and got ready for their day, Kelly packed her belongings. She wanted to leave as soon as possible to prevent any more incidents with _him_. However, she knew she could not leave without saying goodbye. As Kelly was transferring her clothes from the drawers to the suitcase, she heard a knock on her door. Peter quietly said her name as the door slowly opened.

"Hey, Kelly. We're talking about lunch. What would you…?" His sentence halted as he noticed the half-packed suitcase. "What, uh, what's up?"

"I'm leaving."

"What? Why?" Something in her stance and her voice caused a click to occur in Peter's mind. "Did I do something?"

"It just… too hard," Kelly said as she continued to pack her bags.

"Hard?" Peter questioned.

"Yes!" Kelly exclaimed, exasperated. "Once again, I find myself trying to be okay with the fact that we're just friends, but then you grab my hand and then, well, I'm not okay, I'm floating."

Peter simply looked at her with those broody blue eyes of his.

"Being around you… the way that it used to be." She broke eye contact with him and shook her head in remorse. "I thought I was over you. I thought I could do this…"

"Over me? When were you under me?"

"Well, for example, yesterday." Kelly was getting frustrated and it showed with the way she was now throwing clothes into her suitcase. "But that's not the point."

"What is the point?"

Kelly threw the last of her things into the suitcase and looked into Peter's eyes. "The point is that I can't stand being your second anymore." Their eyes were glued to one another and tension sparked between them. "Not when you're my first."

"But Kelly…" Peter started slowly.

"I never wanted to tell you how I really felt because I can't tear up your family and I wouldn't want to make things awkward between the two of us." Her voice seemed to gain momentum as she spoke. "And now I've ruined everything between us, just by being the dumb girl who fell in love and listened to her heart- not her head."

"But," he tried again.

"No. I have to go. I can't do this. I thought I was strong enough but I'm not. I'm sorry."

She zipped up her suitcase and hooked her duffle bag to it. She began to roll it toward the door. She stood in front of Peter and reached toward his face. She pulled it down to her and left a kiss on his forehead.

"Goodbye, Peter," she whispered against his skin then hastily exited the room. Peter stood there, digesting all that had just happened.

Kelly set her luggage down in the dining room, close to the front door. Within seconds, the hostess was joined by her guests who were there to ask about her preference for lunch. However, upon seeing her packed suitcase, their reactions were the same as Peter's.

_What's wrong?_

_Where are you going? _

_Is everything okay?_

As the questions flew out of their mouths, Peter joined them in the dining room.

"There's something wrong with my mom. She needs me," Kelly explained with a lie.

Melinda noticed the way Kelly spoke her words and the looks she was giving Peter. If Kelly's mom were having any type of problem, Kelly would not be this calm. Melinda knew it was something else driving Kelly away from her own cabin.

"Is she going to be okay?" someone asked.

"Yeah. It's nothing to get too worried over. She just wants to see me."

"If it's nothing, can't you just stay for lunch? The last supper?" Melinda insisted.

"Yeah. Who knows how long it will be until we're all together again." Rachel added.

Kelly pondered for a moment. Rachel had a real point. Although Peter was making things difficult for her, she really missed her friends and really wanted to spend some time with them.

"Okay. I'll leave after we have lunch."

Everyone cheered except for Peter who was still giving Kelly that look. This exchange went seemingly unnoticed by everyone but Melinda.

Lunch passed without a hitch. Peter was a lot quieter than normal but no one said anything about it. They enjoyed their time with Kelly and when lunch was over, they all cleaned the kitchen together. Then they all followed her to the dining room to get her luggage and say goodbye. Adam and Ben eagerly took her bags to her car while she hugged the girls goodbye. They wished her mother good health before the boys returned and got their hugs. Peter snuck in and gave her one as well, knowing that they needed to keep up their pretenses. Afterwards, he slipped away unnoticed and went to a room close to the garage, needing to get away from everyone.

Kelly hugged the last neck and gave Melinda the key and some instructions on locking up the cabin. Then she left. Her houseguests stood around the dining room looking at one another.

Autumn finally spoke up. "Does anyone else think that there is nothing wrong with her mother?" She looked around at her friends who looked at her in agreement and then gazed at Melinda. If anyone knew, she would. She did not confirm their suspicions, but she definitely did not deny them.

"With the way they kept looking at each other…" Adam began.

"Peter said close to nothing during lunch." Ben added.

"I think he did say nothing. I don't remember hearing one word." Rachel stated.

Peter sat in the room he had resigned to, oblivious about the conversation going on in the other room. He sat alone at the window with his thoughts. He saw her car slowly pull out and into the driveway, continuing to watch her drive slowly through the thick snow. He looked away thinking of how this could be the last time he saw her. He would not want to make her uncomfortable. The thought of this being the last time he would see those blue eyes caused his heart pain. His eyes rose with realization and his head quickly turned to look through the window to discover how far away she had driven.

Suddenly, Peter was out of his seat and sprinting. He flew through the door leading to the garage and shot through the snow. He chased after Kelly's car, yelling her name. Luckily the same snow slowing down his running was having the same effect on the car he was chasing. Soon, he was leaving his hand print on the back glass. Kelly stopped the car as Peter leaned against it, panting. It was not every day his heart got pumping with adrenaline and he chased down a car in Canadian snow.

"Peter!" Kelly exclaimed as she exited the vehicle. "What are you doing?"

"I can't let you leave," He explained still panting but moving toward her.

"I told you." Her voice broke a bit. "I have to go."

Peter turned toward Kelly and now she was the one leaning against the car.

"You told me that you didn't want to tear up my family."

"Right."

"You're not."

"Peter, if you are suggesting that we have an unattached affair…"

"I'm not!"

"Good because any sex we have would be attached because I'm already too far gone."

"My point is you can't tear up my family when it is already torn."

"What?"

"Not very observant, are you?" Peter held his left hand up so Kelly could see. "Nothing on it. Not for three months."

Kelly's mouth hung slightly ajar as she stared at his hand. This new revelation stunned her. She broke out of the trance when he dropped his hand and continued talking.

"Paula realized she didn't want to be with me anymore." Peter's eyes fell as he tried to find the perfect words. "Then I realize that I'm in love with you." His eyes grabbed hers again. "I always knew that I loved you but I couldn't act on it." He smiled that smile she loved. "No matter how badly I wanted to."

"Then, when all the papers were signed and I was free to do what I pleased, I read about you and David in the paper. And no matter how badly I wanted to be with you, if he made you happy, I wanted you to be with him."

Peter finished with his head down again as he recounted his time without Kelly. She was looking at him with those blue eyes of hers that could speak to his soul. She was quiet, listening for him to speak up again, desperate to hear more. Peter's dark hair was becoming freckled with white snowflakes as it began to fall again. Suddenly, his head rose and he looked directly into her eyes with a look that caused her spine to tingle. He moved closer to her, their faces now inches apart.

"But if I'm not with her and you're not with him…" His voice was a whisper. "There's no reason why we shouldn't be together. We belong together." Peter's face inched even closer and Kelly thought he was going to kiss her. Instead, he cupped her face in his hands and his eyes wandered appreciatively over her entire face. Kelly's knees went weak and she was surprised to find that she was still standing.

"I love you, Kelly Rowan. I love you as my best friend…" He paused to allow this to sink in. "and so much more." He paused again, wanting her to completely understand. "I want to be with you, Kelly."

Kelly stood there, unable to move or speak. A few deep breaths and she gathered some strength. "Peter, I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything." Kelly giggled at him as a few tears slipped down her face. They both knew what would come after a line like that. Peter smiled like he had never smiled before as he watched the woman in front of him show her happiness.

Ever so gently, Peter embraced Kelly's lips with his. They stood there completely still for a moment, enjoying the sensation that had been missing for so long. However, it was not long until the simple kiss was not enough for them. Kelly wrapped her arms around Peter's neck and pushed her mouth further into his. Suddenly, she opened her mouth, welcoming Peter's tongue to join hers. He quickly accepted her offer as his hands dropped from her face. One cradled her neck while the other rested on the small of her back; both held her body tightly to his.

They broke apart, gasping for air and grinning as the snow continued to fall around them. Their eyes danced together, sparkling as they did so. Their foreheads rested against one another and their noses rubbed together as they shared a silent conversation.

Suddenly, loud applause and cheering filled the air, causing Peter and Kelly to look toward the front porch. There they found their friends, all grinning wildly, obviously not too shocked by the fact that Peter and Kelly had feelings for each other.

Peter still stood holding Kelly protectively against his body as they smiled toward the cabin. Kelly looked back at Peter and he noticed she was blushing and still unable to stop smiling. He pulled her close again and they returned to their kiss.

"Does this mean she's going to stay?" Ben called from the porch, a chuckle evident in the question.

Peter broke their kiss and looked down at Kelly with his puppy dog eyes. He silently asked her to stay, the smile still stuck on his face. Kelly nodded her head. Of course, she was going to stay. How could she not after what Peter had done?

Peter answered Ben's question with a loud and excited 'Yes!' Kelly buried her face into Peter's chest want to feel his breathing, something she had missed. Peter's arms wrapped around her and silently they stood there, the cheering of their friends still echoing through the woods.

"Let's go back inside," Peter suggested. Kelly nodded her head against his chest and slowly pulled away from him. They smiled at each other and kissed once more before getting into her car and driving back to the cabin.

As a result of their close relationship while working on 'The O.C.', Peter and Kelly found that it was very easy to be together as more than just friends. It almost felt as if they had already been dating for the four years of filming the show and now, they were just a normal couple. Things were not awkward as they had feared. Everyone accepted their relationship. Actually, they all had exclaimed that this union was long overdue and that Kelly and Peter had waited long enough to finally get together.

The evening was simple and consisted of quiet laughs, board games, and a calming fire. As the games continued, Kelly and Peter eventually curled up together on the couch and watched the others. Slowly, the soft crackle and shimmer of the fire lulled their eyelids shut as Kelly listened to Peter's steady heart beat.

"Are you asleep?" Peter whispered, loud enough only for Kelly to hear. She faintly shook her head. "Then why are your eyes closed?"

"Why are yours?" She played back.

"I asked you first."

Kelly smiled before she answered. "I'm just enjoying laying here with you."

"Hmph. You stole my answer," Peter grumbled quietly. Kelly chuckled as she opened her eyes. Her eyes locked with Peter and she leaned in to kiss him. His lips accepted hers and moved against them in a slow, seductive manner. Kelly broke away and looked back up at Peter, smiling at him. He returned her smile and they simply sat there, staring into the other's eyes and enjoying each other's warmth.

"Are you two going to get a room or are you just going to make love right there on that couch?" Melinda's voice spoke up from the silence, causing Peter and Kelly to break their gaze from each other and look at Melinda. Kelly chuckled at her words and turned back to Peter. She traced his lips with her index finger.

"We'll take the room," she murmured. Peter could not help but light up slightly at the thought of being with Kelly in that way, finally. Kelly noticed the look in his eyes and recalled the same look he had given her yesterday when her hips had collided with his. She finally realized what the look was conveying – lust. She smiled up at Peter and kissed his lips quickly before standing up from the couch. She extended her hand to him and pulled him up to stand by her.

Peter leaned into her and kissed her. He kissed her all the way to her door, forgetting Melinda in the den. He continued his passionate kisses as she fumbled desperately with the door knob. His larger hand covered her smaller one and helped her twist the handle. They fell with each other through the door, lips still locked, smiles emerging. They broke apart as Peter reached back and shut the door.

When he turned to face Kelly, the realization of the step they were about to take fully entered their mind. She knew Peter was being a gentleman and needed confirmation that she wanted the same thing he did. She kissed him gently, washing away any doubts he had. Their kiss heated up again as the thoughts of tonight flooded their minds.

"Do you have any idea how long I've wanted this?" Kelly whispered against Peter's lips.

"As long as I have."

They took everything slow. They wanted this night, their first time, to be utterly perfect. They did not want to rush things and chance missing something. Slowly, they stripped each other and slowly, they explored each other's body. They made love at a slow, agonizing pace.

Afterward, they talked for hours about anything and everything. Eventually, they began to tire and Peter pulled Kelly close as he drifted off to sleep with a faint smile still on his lips. Kelly stayed awake for a few minutes, listening to Peter's heart as he slept. She thought of the last few years and how they had been full of dreams of this night. She had often dreamt of finally being with Peter and dreaming 'with him' as opposed to just dreaming 'of him.'

Cuddled up tight to Peter's body, her head on his chest, Kelly went to sleep with a smile, knowing her dream had finally come true. She knows that when they leave the solitude of the cabin and join the real world again, life will not be this simple. She would be an idiot to think that it could stay as perfect as today.

But, for now, she is content in Peter's arms and right now, it is the only thing in life that matters.

_And I still can't believe  
That you came up to me and said "I love you"  
I love you too! _

_Now I'm dreaming with you tonight  
Till tomorrow and for all of my life  
And there's nowhere in the world I'd rather be  
Than here in my room dreaming with you endlessly._

-- "Dreaming of You" by Selena


End file.
